[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult":3,"chapter-don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-27":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Don't Mock the Poor Old Man: Gains a Year of Cultivation Every Day!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2312519,4520,"Chapter 27: Great Chaos Is Coming!","don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-27",27,"\u003Cp>Zhang Xu was expelled from the Martial Academy?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This news struck every disciple like a thunderclap from the ninth heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Zhang Xu—born into wealth, with superior innate talent, always arrogant in the Inner Academy, regarded as a core disciple—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was personally expelled from the sect by the Headmaster! Permanently removed from the rolls! Even to be branded on the Pillar of Shame!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief shock and silence, a deafening uproar erupted like a volcanic explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Geez… Zhang Xu was permanently expelled from the sect…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heaven! What did Zhang Xu even do? The Headmaster made it sound so grave!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Headmaster has real guts! Not even showing the Zhang family any respect!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true ruin—total disgrace!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shock, horror, speculation, excitement, awe—emotions surged wildly through the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone realized this was no ordinary punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Headmaster Liu Qingshi’s harshest judgment, signaling the Academy’s stance—and a complete rupture with the powerful Zhang family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Inner Academy disciples, those close to Zhang Xu wore grim faces and avoided eye contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who had long resented him could barely hide their satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Gang, the Senior Disciple of the Academy, stood at the front of the crowd, his thick brows knitted, his square face heavy with solemn thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed at his Master’s mountain-like, solemn back on the stage, his heart churning:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What unforgivable sin had that bastard Zhang Xu committed? Why would the Master risk a complete rupture with the Zhang family to employ such a thunderous method?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Master has always been sentimental and loyal—unless his limits were crossed, he’d never do this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sensed vaguely that behind this incident lay a storm far greater than what met the eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yiyi and Su Yan stood side by side at the front of the female disciples, already fully aware of the outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces remained as calm as still water, as if the surrounding chaos had nothing to do with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the most striking—and most miserable—expression, aside from the two henchmen of Zhang Xu who looked as if they’d lost a parent and wanted to dig a hole and crawl in, belonged to Hu Tian, standing slightly behind the crowd, his face shifting between pale and ashen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“H-how could this happen…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Tian felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head—he froze in place, his mind buzzing, utterly blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last night, he had helped Zhang Xu arrange the meeting, escorting Liu Yiyi and Su Yan to the banquet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now Zhang Xu was expelled from the Academy…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be… could it be that Brother Zhang and the two Senior Sisters… had a falling out? A quarrel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swallowed hard, his throat dry and tight, desperately seeking a plausible explanation for this earth-shattering turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But even if they quarreled, even if they fought—how could it escalate to expulsion and branding on the Pillar of Shame?! What kind of disaster could this possibly be?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chill crept slowly up his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly recalled that this morning, as he entered the Academy, he’d felt two cold gazes settle on him—he’d dismissed it as an illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, trembling, he cautiously lifted his eyelids and stole a fleeting glance toward Liu Yiyi and Su Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He met Liu Yiyi’s idle, sidelong glance as she turned her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That gaze was icy-clear, utterly devoid of warmth—perhaps even carrying a faint hint of… revulsion and killing intent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Tian’s heart plummeted, as if dropped into a ten-thousand-foot ice cavern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s over… I’ve truly offended these two Senior Sisters beyond redemption!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Panic, like countless icy vines, instantly wrapped around his heart, making it hard to breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did he realize, belatedly, that last night’s affair was far more complicated than Zhang Xu had claimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What am I going to do now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Tian’s mind was in chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he’d offended Liu Yiyi and Su Yan, could he even stay in the Academy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night deepened; closing time approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first to leave the Academy today was not an Outer Academy disciple—it was Hu Tian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had spent the entire day in panic, and as soon as closing came, he bolted without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye watched his fleeing back, his eyes narrowing slightly, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Disciples gradually departed; the courtyard fell silent once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soft sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the last disciple stepped over the threshold, Jiang Ye rose slowly and closed the two heavy, lacquered black doors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As usual, Jiang Ye returned to the gatehouse and changed into a dull, unremarkable gray-brown robe, neither new nor entirely worn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood still within the room, his mind sinking—his consciousness flooded with the true essence of the Thousand Transformations Monkey, flowing like molten mercury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside his body, two hundred and six bones and countless tendons and fascia emitted a faint, dense patter of cracks, like raindrops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the old man standing in the room was no longer the decrepit gatekeeper Jiang Ye—but a tall, thin, unfamiliar-looking elder, dressed plainly, indistinguishable once lost in a crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked to the dim bronze mirror in the corner, studied his utterly alien reflection, and nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm. This appearance suits my purposes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Confirmed the disguise was flawless, he reached into his robe and felt the five thousand taels of silver notes hidden against his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without further delay, Jiang Ye slipped out of the Academy like a spirit deer merging into the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anxi County, eastern district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye halted before a shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The storefront was spacious, with two grand lanterns hanging beneath the eaves, illuminating the black sign with golden characters: Baoyao Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three characters were bold, iron-drawn and silver-hooked, powerful and commanding, radiating undeniable depth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had once heard Liu Qingshi mention in passing that Baoyao Hall was Anxi County’s premier pharmacy—stocking complete herbs and selling high-quality finished elixirs, with powerful backers even linked to the Prefectural City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye stepped slowly into the hall. Inside, lights blazed brightly, the space open and airy. Rows of tall, dark-wood herb cabinets gleamed with quiet luster; the air carried a complex, calming fragrance of blended herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the counter, several clerks worked methodically, sorting herbs or polishing instruments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A middle-aged man in a dark blue silk robe, about forty, with a pale, clean face and sharp, alert eyes, saw Jiang Ye enter and immediately set down his ledger, smiling warmly as he stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze swept over Jiang Ye’s plain attire, yet the man’s restrained, steady aura and upright posture stirred something in him—he grew even more courteous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder, welcome to Baoyao Hall. I am Cui Yang, the manager here. How may I assist you? Whatever we have, we’ll ensure your satisfaction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Yang bowed respectfully, his tone warm but not obsequious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye nodded slightly, speaking plainly and without preamble: “I wish to buy Blood-Replenishing Pills.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blood-Replenishing Pills?” Cui Yang’s smile didn’t falter. “Of course. Our Blood-Replenishing Pills use premium ingredients and are expertly refined—superior in efficacy to ordinary ones. The price, however…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, holding up two fingers: “Currently, twenty-one taels per vial. How many do you need, Elder?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye’s brow furrowed, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. “Blood-Replenishing Pills have always been twenty taels per vial. Why the increase? Are you trying to cheat an old man who doesn’t travel much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had spent years in the Academy—he knew the standard price. It had always been twenty taels, rarely fluctuating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh dear, Elder, you’re wronging me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Yang quickly bowed again, his face contorted into a pained smile, leaning forward slightly as he lowered his voice with a tone of helplessness and caution:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not me raising prices—it’s the times. Things are unstable. You’ve surely heard—next door, Lushan County… is in turmoil, sealed off!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With the blockade, many herb sources are disrupted. Prices have skyrocketed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re forced to raise prices too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Jiang Ye’s expression shifted slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lushan County was right next door—not far from Anxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been sealed off due to internal unrest…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anxi would inevitably be affected soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coupled with the growing number of refugees in the city…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ye felt a premonition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great chaos is coming!\u003C\u002Fp>",1359,"2026-06-20T12:57:27.461Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1781ce3f4c5729b1846d13d88b3f8e545cfd8cf4d640874e587dd9428662c8c4","don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-28","don-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-chapter-26",268,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdon-t-mock-the-poor-old-man-gains-a-year-of-cult-cover.jpg"]